Island for Dreams (17 page)

‘
Good. I
’
ll see that one or two childish games are thrown in for good measure,
’
he promised sardonically.

‘
More coffee?
’
Nora asked sweetly with the wicked feeling of wanting to drown him in it.

He proffered his cup and it did not need a glance at him to know that he was eyeing her with a faint mockery. He stayed to help her wash up, insisting upon doing his bit, as he put it, towards paying for his meal. They were bitter-sweet moments spent passing him the dishes to wipe, and the flat was very empty when he had gone.

When Juan picked her up early that afternoon his big car was empty.

‘
No
Aimée
?
’
she queried as he put her in the front seat beside him.

‘
We
’
re calling for her. I had business which kept me on the go, ending with a lunch.
’

‘
What exactly do you do?
’
Nora asked curiously.

‘
I would only bore you,
’
he answered, and swung the car up the small incline towards the promenade. Then he turned left and drove along the entrance to the quay where boats were unloading their cargo
.

‘
Try me,
’
she said.

‘
I
’
ll qualify that remark of mine by saying I would bore myself,
’
he drawled.

‘
I
’
m sure no man is ever bored talking about himself,
’
Nora commented.

Her uneasiness was wearing off. She felt the tangy salt air breezing in and lifting her golden locks
—
saw the harbour crammed now with yachts and a few fishing vessels and looked eagerly at the beautiful swans gliding in the vicinity of the swing bridge.

To her left, the picturesque row of shops, warehouses and cottages had not as yet fallen to the greed of the speculator who seemed bent on destroying the character of the island.

‘
I never tire of coming this way,
’
she smiled with sparkling eyes.
‘
The scenery is so beautiful you feel you want to put it down on canvas.
’
She sighed, and glanced at Juan.
‘
You were saying...
’

He raised a dark brow.
‘
Ah yes. Yesterday I would have waxed eloquently about the business in hand because it was a challenge for me to succeed in what I set out to do. Now it
’
s all over. Success is
mine. Need I say more?
’

Nora
’
s throat felt a little tight.
‘
Does that apply to the women in your life as well? You lose all interest once you
’
ve achieved your aim?
’

‘
Let
’
s say I prefer the plums I can pick to the ones that fall into my lap. There
’
s nothing that keeps the adrenalin going like going ahead to do your own thing.
’

Nora said huskily,
‘
Would you say I fell into your lap like a ripe plum?
’

They had wound their way in between cars and trucks to the end of the quay and Juan swept out on to the main road.

‘
I was under the impression that you
’
d fallen into the sea. I seem to remember taking you to the boat to dry off. However, my sweet one, don
’
t try to analyse the workings of a man
’
s mind. He
’
s a wily animal.
’

‘
You
’
d make a good politician. You know how to get round questions without answering them,
’
Nora told him tartly.

‘
I
’
ll remember that,
’
he replied, unperturbed.
‘
I might need a job some day.
’

The car was flashing along leafy roads of sunlight where tall trees met overhead in places and cottages were few and far between. Nora wished it was as restful in the car as outside it. For some reason she could never succeed in being free and easy with Juan. It might have been her imagination, but all his actions, his conversation, seemed aimed to get at her in some way. Did he always have to be so masculine, so forceful in her presence? She knew he was not that way with
Aimée
.

Aimée
was waiting for them at the gates of the Armitage with an enormous teddy bear in her arms.

‘
Goodness,
’
Nora exclaimed,
‘
Is she bringing that toy with her?
’

Juan grinned.
‘
There
’
s room enough for them both on the back seat. She obviously wants you to see it.
’

Aimée
did.
‘
Look what Juan bought me,
’
she cried with delight as he opened the car door to put her and the toy into the back seat.
‘
Isn
’
t he beautiful?
’

‘
Very,
’
agreed Nora.
‘
He has a nice face and he
’
s cuddly.
’

‘
That
’
s why I chose him.
Juan liked this one too
—
didn
’
t you, Juan?
’

Aimée
gazed at Juan adoringly as he moved round to slide into the driving seat. He grinned as he surveyed them both before starting the car.

‘
It was a toss-up between the teddy and a gorilla. The teddy won,
’
he said.

The outsize teddy was left in the car while they went in the Wild Life Park.
Aimée
enjoyed it and they had tea while watching the flamingoes and swans on the lake. Throughout the afternoon Juan had patiently explained and pointed out things of interest to
Aimée
, with one or two mocking glances in Nora
’
s direction.

Where Nora was concerned the presence of Aim
é
e had helped considerably in her attitude towards Juan. She had not addressed him much but there had been times when she had felt him watching her speculatively.

They were returning to the car when Aim
é
e said,
‘
Can we go to your flat, Nora, please? Mummy will be out when I get back and I shall go to bed early.
’

Nora meditated.
‘
Perhaps Mummy won
’
t like you staying out, dear,
’
she said, avoiding Juan
’
s gaze.

Aimée
said eagerly,
‘
Mummy won
’
t mind. She didn
’
t care if I stayed with friends or not back home.
Mr
s
.
Shipley next door says I
’
m more part of her family than her own children. Please, Nora, let
me stay! I
’
m enjoying my holiday so much.
’

Juan put in glibly,
‘
Maybe Nora has other plans for this evening. Could be some Prince Charming is coming to take her out.
’

‘
Is he?
’
Aimée
asked with round eyes.

‘
No
,’
replied Nora. After a long moment she added,
‘
Stay if you want.
’

‘
Oh, thank you
!
’
Aimée
hugged Nora before getting into the car.

At the flat the child was enchanted with the guest bedroom, which Nora told her she was the first to occupy. All three set in to prepare the meal for the evening and there was much laughter and jostling in the small kitchen.

Jony called unexpectedly and stared nonplussed at the domestic scene.
Aimée
had a tea-towel pinned around her waist and a smut of flour on her nose, while Juan was cleaning the vegetables.

Nora greeted him warmly, sensing his embarrassment.
‘
Hello, Jony
,’
she smiled.
‘
I don
’
t believe you
’
ve met
Aimée
, a friend of mine. I think you know Juan?
’

The two men acknowledged each other with a brief nod.

Jony came right to the reason for his visit.
‘
I thought you might like to come to have a meal at the farm this evening, but I can see it
’
s not convenient
,’
he said awkwardly, refusing to sit down.

‘
I
’
m sorry
,’
Nora
’
s smile was apologetic.
‘
Some other time, perhaps. I
’
d love to come.
’

When he had gone, she said,
‘
I ought to have asked him to stay for supper. After all, there
’
s plenty. I could have opened a bigger tin of tongue to go with the salad and there
’
s practically a whole chicken since I only had a small portion of it last evening.
’

‘
Stop dithering,
’
cut in Juan.
‘
The man would have been too embarrassed to stay. He probably had everything planned for you tonight, right down to the flowers and candles on the table.
’

Nora sliced hard boiled eggs up for the salad with unnecessary force.

‘
What if he had?
’
she cried indignantly.
‘
The thought was there.
’

There was a short silence while she lifted her eyes from her task to encounter
Aimée
’
s apprehensive stare and Juan
’
s uplifted eyebrows. Then her sense of humour bubbled to the surface.

‘
There goes my Prince Charming for the evening supper by candlelight and all,
’
she gurgled.

But
Aimée
was upset.
‘
I
’
ve spoiled your evening,
’
she wailed.

‘
Of course you haven
’
t,
’
Nora told her firmly.
‘
We can have candles too, and I can always go another night to dine at the farm.
’

Aimée
brightened.
‘
So you can. Juan can be your Prince Charming for this evening too. I
’
ll lend him to you—only lend, mind.
’

Nora laughed.
‘
Thank you very much. I
’
m sure Juan will be delighted.
’

Tomfoolery followed as Juan made a point of kissing Nora
’
s hand before he seated her at the table. Jony unwittingly had made the evening a success and it was a very happy
Aimée
who went to bed in the pretty guest room with white bedroom furniture,
off-white
rug and pretty lampshades and curtains.

Juan went to tuck her in with the enormous teddy bear. She had wilted long before the end of the meal and was almost fast asleep before he tucked her in.

Nora had put out the candles and opened the curtains when Juan returned to the lounge to the pleasant aroma of freshly made coffee. It was still daylight and the dying sun filled the room with a golden glow.

Juan lifted a brow at the change of scene, and Nora felt the colour rush under her clear skin.

There was outright amusement in his face as he said,

‘
Playing safe?
’